HI. I'M NADIA COMBS, CHAIR OF THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD. I WANT TO WELCOME YOU TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. WE SERVE MORE THAN 200,000 STUDENTS. THAT INCLUDES CHILDREN IN PRESCHOOL THROUGH ADULTS IN OUR WORKFORCE PROGRAM. I'M HENRY SHAKE WASHINGTON, THE BOARD VICE-CHAIR. OUR DISTRICT IS THE 7th LARGEST IN AMERICA, AND OUR TEAM IS MADE UP OF MORE THAN 24,000 PEOPLE WORKING AT NEARLY 250 SITES ACROSS THE COUNTY. OUR DISTRICT IS DIVERSE AND DEDICATED. OUR BOARD MEETINGS ARE HELD IN OUR BOARD AUDITORIUM ON SELECT TUESDAYS AT 4 P.M. THE BEST WAY TO SERVE OUR STUDENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY IS TO INVOLVE YOU, THE PUBLIC, IN WHAT WE DO. YOU ARE WELCOME TO E-MAIL OR MEET WITH ANY OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS AND FOLLOW OUR DISTRICT ON SOCIAL MEDIA. BOARD MEETINGS ARE COVERED LIVE BY HILLSBOROUGH SCHOOLS TV, ON SPECTRUM CABLE CHANNEL 635 AND FRONTIER CABLE CHANNEL 32.
MEETINGS ARE ALSO STREAMED LIVE ON OUR WEBSITE AT HillsboroughSchools.org. CLOSED CAPTIONING IS PROVIDED ON ALL BROADCASTS AND PAST MEETINGS ARE AVAILABLE IN OUR ONLINE ARCHIVE. WE ARE INTERESTED IN WHAT THE PUBLIC HAS TO SAY. WE'LL INCLUDE TIME FOR AUDIENCE COMMENTS BEFORE WE ADDRESS OUR BUSINESS ITEMS. OUR AGENDA AND ANY SUPPORTING MATERIAL CAN BE VIEWED ONLINE IN ADVANCE. THEY ARE POSTED SEVEN DAYS BEFORE EACH MEETING ON OUR WEBSITE AT HillsboroughSchools.org. OUR VISION IS PREPARING STUDENTS FOR LIFE. AND THAT MEANS ALL STUDENTS, EVERY DAY. TODOS LOS ESTUDIANTES, TODOS LOS DIAS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST IN EDUCATION. WITH YOUR HELP, WE'RE MAKING DECISIONS THAT SHAPE OUR COMMUNITY'S FUTURE. Nadia Combs: THE BOARD MEETING OF MARCH 7, 2023, IS CALLED TO ORDER.
MEMBER WASHINGTON WILL NOW LEAD US IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. Henry "Shake" Washington: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. PLEASE JOIN ME IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE. [MOMENT OF SILENCE] THANK YOU.
PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. [PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE] YOU MAY BE SEATED. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER WASHINGTON. MEMBER WASHINGTON WILL NOW PLEASE ACKNOWLEDGE OUR STUDENT ENTERTAINMENT FOR TODAY. Henry "Shake" Washington: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. TODAY, WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK PALMER ELEMENTARY. THE EAGLE DRUM LINE ALONG WITH THE BAND DIRECTOR, MR. DAVID NICHOLS AND THE PRINCIPAL SHARON WEIGHT. THESE WONDERFUL STUDENTS ENTERTAINED US PRIOR TO THE START OF THE BOARD MEETING. AND AT THIS POINT, I WOULD LIKE FOR THEM TO COME UP AND INTRODUCE THEMSELVES. I'M IN THE FIFTH GRADE. Henry "Shake" Washington: SPEED LOUDER NOW. SAY IT AGAIN. NEVAYA TAHADA IN THE FIFTH GRADE. Henry "Shake" Washington: SOUNDS GREAT. MENDEZ IN THE FIFTH GRADE. JOHNNY BURR, SECOND GRADE. CAMILLA HERNANDEZ IN THE FIFTH GRADE. JONATHAN VELOSE IN THE FIFTH GRADE. TAVEON BREWER, THIRD GRADE. WILLIAM EUBANKS IN THE FOURTH GRADE. JOHN PACHECO IN THE THIRD GRADE.
MOSS IN THE FIRST GRADE. CAMARIE BRYANT IN THE FIFTH GRADE. MARLESE MARTINEZ IN THE FIFTH GRADE. JELLY MARTINEZ IN THE THIRD GRADE. JALEN SMITH, FIFTH GRADE. CAYMAN DAVIS IN THE FIFTH GRADE. KENNETH SINGLETON, FOURTH GRADE. RENAR IN THE FOURTH GRADE. LETAY FIFTH GRADE. AMYA, THIRD GRADE. GENTLEMAN NIA MYERS, FOURTH GRADE. KENNEDY BRYANT IN FOURTH GRADE. BELLA ANN, FOURTH GRADE. FIFTH GRADE. FOURTH GRADE. ORTIZ IN THIRD GRADE. AUBREY ROBINSON IN FOURTH GRADE. DAVID NICHOLS, MUSIC TEACHER. SHARON WHITE, VERY PROUD PRINCIPAL. McKAYLA LLOYD, THIRD GRADE, MATH AND SCIENCE. ANNIKA MANN, PROUD ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL. Henry "Shake" Washington: IF ANY PARENTS WANT TO COME UP AND TAKE PICTURES, YOU CAN AT THIS TIME. TURN AROUND SO THEY CAN SEE. THEY WANT TO LOOK AT THEMSELVES ON TV, RIGHT? Henry "Shake" Washington: THANK YOU ALL FOR DOING A GREAT JOB. AND NOW YOU GUYS ARE FAMOUS. YOU'RE ON TV. YOU SEE YOURSELVES ON TELEVISION.
OKAY. BE GOOD. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. ALL OF YOU DID A GREAT JOB. GREAT WAY TO START A BOARD MEETING, SO UPBEAT. WE HAVE ONE WITHDRAWN ITEM TODAY, THAT'S 9.01, 23029-PGB-01 CONTRACTED SERVICES FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION.
I NEED A MOTION AND SECOND TO APPROVE THE AGENDA. MOTION BY MEMBER WASHINGTON. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER GRAY AND I HAVE A SECOND BY MEMBER WASHINGTON. ANY DISCUSSION? THANK YOU, EVERYONE.
I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER GRAY AND I HAVE A SECOND BY MEMBER WASHINGTON. ANY DISCUSSION? PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT ALL BOARD MEMBERS ARE PRESENT WITH THE EXCEPTION OF MEMBER VAUGHN. WE HAVE FIVE SETS OF MINUTES TO BE APPROVED TODAY. THAT'S JANUARY 17, 2023 SCHOOL BOARD WORKSHOP, FEBRUARY 14, 2023, MIDDLE SCHOOL FORUM. FEBRUARY 14, 2023, HIGH SCHOOL FORUM. FEBRUARY 21st, 2023, SCHOOL BOARD MEETING. FEBRUARY 28, 2023, SPECIAL-CALLED BOARD MEETING. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER WASHINGTON AND I HAVE A SECOND BY MEMBER HAHN. ANY DISCUSSION? IF NOT, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. BOARD MEMBERS, I'D LIKE TO GO OVER THE FORMAT OF TODAY'S MEETING. AS A REMINDER, WE'RE A NONPARTISAN BOARD WHO BELIEVE THAT ALL CHILDREN CAN BE EMPOWERED TO LEARN TO SUCCEED AND OUR DECISIONS WILL BE MADE WITH THAT UNDERSTANDING. TO PAVE THE WAY FOR EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE AGENDA STATEMENTS AND/OR QUESTIONS, BOARD MEMBERS WILL HAVE FIVE MINUTES TO SPEAK WITH 30 SECONDS FOR FINAL THOUGHTS. AFTERWARDS, THE SUPERINTENDENT CAN RESPOND. IF YOU HAVE FURTHER QUESTIONS, YOU ARE ASKED TO GET BACK IN THE QUEUE.
MEMBER WASHINGTON WILL NOW READ THE BOARD GUIDELINES. Henry "Shake" Washington: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AS WE BEGIN THIS AFTERNOON'S MEETING, LET ME QUICKLY REVIEW THE FORMAT OF OUR SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS. PLEASE SILENCE ALL ELECTRONIC DEVICES. THERE ARE SPEAKERS IN THE ROOM BEHIND ME THAT ALLOW BOARD MEMBERS TO HEAR THE MEETING UPON STEPPING AWAY FROM THE DAIS. THIS MEETING CAN BE VIEWED WITH CLOSED CAPTIONING ON LIVE WEBCASTS, ON CABLE TV, ON VIDEO MONITORS HERE IN THE AUDITORIUM. IT ALSO CAN BE VIEWED WITH CLOSED CAPTIONING IN THE ONLINE VIDEO ARCHIVE.
Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER WASHINGTON. WE HAVE ONE ITEM SCHEDULED FOR TIME CERTAIN AND THAT'S 6:00 AND THAT'S EMPLOYEE INPUT. AT THIS TIME, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE UP ONE RECOGNITION BECAUSE WE HAVE SEVERAL PEOPLE HERE. WE HAVE SEVERAL OUTSTANDING INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE SUPPORTED US FOR SO LONG. I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THE CASPERS COMPANY. I'LL BE HIGHLIGHTING THIS RECOGNITION. BLAKE CASPER, ALONG WITH HIS SISTER ALLISON CASPER ADAMS AND HER HUSBAND ROBBY ADAMS ARE LONGTIME SUPPORTERS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. BLAKE CASPER JOINED THE COMPANY IN 1996 AND FOLLOWING HIS FATHER'S DEATH IN 2005, BLAKE ASSUMED THE ROLE OF CHAIRMAN AND CEO OF CASPERS COMPANY. BOB CONIGLIRIO STARTED IN 1975 AS A MANAGER TRAINING AND ADVANCED THROUGH ALL LEVELS OF MANAGEMENT TO AREA SUPERVISOR IN 1980. HE WAS PROMOTED TO COMMUNITY RELATIONS MANAGER IN 1994 AND VICE PRESIDENT IN 2001. HE'S BEEN A CHAMPION OF EDUCATION, AND A TRUE ADVOCATE FOR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, STUDENTS, AND EMPLOYEES.
FINALLY, DUSTIN PORTIFILO JOINED CASPERS COMPANY ON NOVEMBER 30, 2017 AND ACTIVELY ENGAGED WITH OUR DISTRICT AND SCHOOL TEAM IMMEDIATELY. HIS ENTHUSIASM AND POSITIVE APPROACH WORKING WITH STUDENTS, FAMILIES AND EMPLOYEES CONTINUED THE CASPERS COMPANY AS AN AMAZING EDUCATIONAL PARTNER. WE WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE ALL THESE INDIVIDUALS. IF YOU COULD PLEASE RISE, WE HAVE SOMETHING FOR YOU. Addison Davis: DUSTIN AND BOB, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WHAT YOU CONTINUE TO DO IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. I MEAN, CASPERS WAS A GREAT PARTNER. EVERY TIME THAT WE NEEDED YOU, WHETHER IT BE FROM A DISTRICT PERSPECTIVE, FROM A STUDENT PERSPECTIVE, FROM A TEACHER PERSPECTIVE OR LEADER PERSPECTIVE, YOU WERE ALWAYS THERE. AND YOU CONTINUE TO BE CHAMPIONS OF THIS COMMUNITY AND ALSO FOR OUR CHILDREN. FOR THAT, WE ARE SO GRATEFUL FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE. DUSTIN, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH, SIR. WE APPRECIATE YOU. BOB, YOU HAVE BEEN A CHAMPION.
I KNOW THE FISH SANDWICH IS YOUR FAVORITE. THAT'S TRUE. Addison Davis: IT IS TRUE. BUT THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR HELPING US ALWAYS IN A TIME OF NEED. AT THIS TIME, I'LL ASK THE BOARD TO PLEASE COME DOWN, IF THEY CAN, AND TAKE A PICTURE AND CELEBRATE THEIR AWESOME PARTNERSHIP FOR SO MANY YEARS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. THANK YOU, SIR. SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS, MADAM CHAIR, AND SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, ON BEHALF OF THE THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS OF EMPLOYEES AT CASPERS COMPANY, PROBABLY SOME FORMER EMPLOYEES SITTING OUT HERE IN THE AUDIENCE, AND ALL THAT WE HAVE REPRESENTED OVER SO MANY YEARS, IT HAS BEEN OUR PLEASURE TO SERVE THIS DISTRICT AND TO SERVE THE STUDENTS. ONE OF THE MOST FULFILLING THINGS FOR US IN SERVICE IS SERVING THE CHILDREN OF THIS COMMUNITY. AND THEY ARE NOT JUST THE CHILDREN OF THIS COMMUNITY. ALL OF THEM ARE OUR CHILDREN.
AND EVERYTHING THAT WE DID WAS TO HELP ELEVATE THEM, HELP THEM ACHIEVE SUCCESS, AND EVENTUALLY FOR US TO HAND THE KEYS TO OUR BUSINESSES, OUR WORLD, OUR GOVERNMENT, OUR SCHOOLS TO RUN IT. AND THERE'S NO GREATER JOY THAN WATCHING THEM WALK ACROSS THAT STAGE AND THEN KNOCK ON OUR DOOR AND COME IN AND FOR US TO HAND THEM THE KEYS TO RUN A MULTIMILLION DOLLAR BUSINESS OR WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE. BUT THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY. IT HAS BEEN AN ABSOLUTE JOYRIDE FOR US. THANK YOU SO MUCH. ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS ARE LOOKING AT ME LIKE, "ARE YOU GOING TO SAY SOMETHING?" I'M NOT GOING TO SAY MUCH, BUT WE'RE EXTREMELY BLESSED, VERY GRATEFUL THAT WE WORKED FOR A UNICORN, BOB 47 YEARS, ME ALMOST 5 YEARS. SAD THAT IT'S OVER. SAD THAT WE ARE NO LONGER WITH THE ORGANIZATION, BUT THEY ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO PHENOMENAL WORK WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
THE OLD DR. SEUSS QUOTE, DON'T DRY BECAUSE IT'S OVER BUT SMILE BECAUSE IT HAPPENED. THAT REALLY IS THE TONE TODAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH, AS THAT, ADDISON, THE BOARD, ALL OF YOUR INCREDIBLE CHIEFS WHO HAVE BEEN PHENOMENAL TO WORK WITH. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. AND I KNOW MANY BOARD MEMBERS WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT, SO YOU CAN STAND HERE AND BE PRAISED A LITTLE BIT MORE. BUT REALLY, IN ALL SINCERITY, I ALSO WANT TO SAY THANK YOU. I REMEMBER MEETING YOU, BOB, ALMOST LIKE 30 YEARS AGO, IN MY CLASSROOM WHEN I WAS TEACHING, AND THE KIND OF LOVE YOU HAVE GIVEN TO ALL OF OUR STUDENTS THROUGH McDONALD'S AND THROUGH CASPERS COMPANY AND EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE FOR THE TEACHERS, THE BUS DRIVERS, THE FACULTY, THE OF IS IT A, I MEAN, THE WHOLE ORGANIZATION, AND ESPECIALLY THE STUDENTS. WE CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH.
YOU'VE MADE SUCH AN IMPACT ON SO MANY LIVES, AND WE THANK BOTH OF YOU FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTION, ALL THREE OF YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND ESPECIALLY FOR CASPERS FOR JUST CONTINUING TO SUPPORT US FOR SO MANY YEARS. IT HAS MADE SUCH AN IMPACT IN THIS COMMUNITY. THANK YOU.
MEMBER HAHN. Stacy Hahn: THANK YOU, MEMBER COMBS. FIRST, I ECHO ALL OF THE SUPERINTENDENT'S COMMENTS THAT HE MENTIONED EARLIER. I WANT TO THANK BLAKE AND ALLISON FOR MAKING THIS COMMITMENT SO MANY YEARS AGO AND FOR DOING SO MUCH EACH AND EVERY DAY FOR OUR COMMUNITY, NOT JUST WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, BUT IN ALL THE OTHER WAYS THAT THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW, REALLY GONE OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY AND FILLED A NEED AND LOOKED OUT FOR DIFFERENT GROUPS AND ORGANIZATIONS. IT'S MEANT A LOT TO SEE THAT AS A BOARD MEMBER, BUT ALSO AS SOMEBODY WHO LIVES IN TAMPA. YOU DON'T SEE A LOT OF COMPANIES INVEST SO MUCH IN THEIR COMMUNITY AS WE HAVE SEEN OVER THE YEARS THAT CASPERS HAS DONE. THANK YOU TO BLAKE AND ALLISON, AND THANK YOU TO BOTH OF YOU. IT HAS BEEN SUCH A PLEASURE FROM DAY ONE THAT I WAS ON THIS BOARD TO GET TO MEET BOTH OF YOU AND WORK WITH BOTH OF YOU.
YOU IMPACT OUR STUDENTS, OUR EMPLOYEES WHILE THEY ARE HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND AFTER JUST LIKE YOU SAID, BOB, AFTER THEY LEAVE. THEY WORK FOR YOU. THEY MANAGE YOUR STORES. IT'S A WONDERFUL KIND OF FULL CIRCLE FOR MANY OF OUR STUDENTS. I KNOW PERSONALLY EVERYTHING THAT YOU HAVE DONE TO SUPPORT LITERACY AND S.T.E.M. HAS BEEN JUST PHENOMENAL. THE LITERACY FAIRS, DUSTIN, I MISSED YOU LAST WEEKEND. I MISSED THE VAN. I MISSED THE SMILEY FACES. I MISSED THE SOCKS. YOU KNOW, YOU WERE JUST SUCH AN AMAZING PRESENCE, BOTH OF YOU. WHATEVER YOU DID WITH US, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, YOU WALKED INTO THE ROOM AND BOTH OF YOU AND IT LIT UP. SO I MISS THAT. I MISS THAT, AND WHEN I WAS AT THE LITERACY FAIR AND EVEN PLANNING IT, I THOUGHT OF YOU ALL. YOU CREATED THE BOOK MARK FOR THE LITERACY FAIR.
YOU WERE REALLY ALL IN, A HUNDRED -- A THOUSAND PERCENT IN, WHEN BE WE DID THE S.T.E.A.M. INITIATIVES AT THE SCHOOL, YOU CAME AND SUPPORTED THAT. MADE SURE THE KIDS HAD BOOKS. AND I WILL SAY I REMEMBER GOING, TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE MILITARY EVENT I WANTED TO HAVE FOR THE FAMILIES AT MacDILL RIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, AND YOU WERE, LIKE, WHAT CAN CASPERS DO? AND YOU DID BREAKFAST THAT MORNING. IT'S JUST HARD TO IMAGINE. I'VE BEEN IN REALLY BIG DENIAL FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS. YOU NOT BEING THERE. I HOPE WE ALL CAN WORK TOGETHER ON SOME THINGS AGAIN IN THE FUTURE BECAUSE I MISS YOU BOTH, AND I HOPE THAT CASPERS IS A CONTINUED PRESENCE AND MAYBE A NEW AND REIMAGINED WAY. BUT I KNOW THAT THEY CARE ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY SO MUCH, I'M SURE % SOON. EVERYTHING YOU HAVE DONE REALLY MEANT THE WORLD TO ME BOTH PROFESSIONALLY AND PERSONALLY.
THANKS SO MUCH. Nadia Combs: MEMBER HAHN, THANK YOU. MEMBER GRAY. Lynn Gray: DURING MY SEVEN YEARS HERE OR MAYBE A LITTLE LONGER, YOU HAVE BEEN SUCH A FORCE IN OUR SCHOOLS. YOU BROUGHT MEANING TO OUR STUDENTS, BOB. DUSTIN, YOU BROUGHT SMILES TO EVERY ONE OF THEIR FACES, AND THAT WAS A CONTINUAL PATTERN. SMILES, HAPPINESS, YOU IMPRINTED THE MOST IMPORTANT VALUES IN OUR STUDENTS AND ACHIEVEMENT, VALIDATION AS TO WHO THEY ARE, WHAT THEY CAN BE. AND IT'S SO INDICATIVE OF BOTH OF YOU, YOUR PERSONALS. YOU WILL BE VERY MISSED, AND YOU CANNOT BE REPLACED BECAUSE YOU TWO ARE VERY INDIVIDUAL AND EACH OF YOU HAVE CHANGED SO MANY STUDENT TRAJECTORIES AS FAR AS THEIR FUTURE AND EVEN WHEN THEY ARE PRESENT. AND HATS OFF TO EACH OF YOU. YOU DIDN'T DO THE TALK THE TALK, YOU WALKED THE WALK, AND MEANT IT. SO MY SINCERE THANKS, AND I WISH YOU GODSPEED AND GOOD HEALTH AND LOVELY GRANDDAUGHTERS, BOB AND DUSTIN.